Envelope opener



March 4 1924. 1,485,548

D W. L. BARBER ENVELOPE OPENER Filed Aug. 4, 1921 f K I N Patented Mar. y 4, 1924.

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i 1,485,554` MET WILLIAM r.. BARBER., or PROVIDENCE, RHODE rstnlvn.N

- ENvELoPE OPENER. 'l Y Application filed August 4, 1921. vSeria-.1 No. 489,804. `l

This invention relates to devices for opening envelopes and the like. A principal object of` the invention is tol provide an envelope opener that is small and `compact lin size so as to be adapted to be carried on a chain or in a pocket as well as for desk use, with provision whereby, the cutting blade is protected by its holder which serves as a guard when the deviceV is not in use for the purpose of safety as well as to retain the keen cutting edge. A further object is to provide a device that is effective and convenient for its intended purpose, while being especially simple and cheap to manufacture. and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description, and the distinctive features of novelty will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the invention on an enlarged scale; Y

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof Fig. 3 is a side view showing a slightlyV different form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is asimilar view showing the blade open for use;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the device of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is an elevation showing the device in use. A

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, 10 indicates a strip of metal secured to a block 11 which constitutes a hand piece, and may be made of wood or any other suitable material such as rubber, fiber, Celluloid, or metal. The metal strip 10 is secured to this finger piece by suitable means, shown as screws 12 at the ends thereof. The metal strip 10, which is in the form of a plate, has a leaf or extension at one side thereof folded over into parallelism, ,and into proximity to the surface thereof, as indicated at 13 to constitute a thin, fiat sheath or guard for the edge of the cutting blade when the blade is not in use.

The foregoing and other objects It will be understood that thisv sheath member 13, instead of being formed bythefolding over of an extension of the plate 10.upon itself, may be produced as a. vseparate member-suitably secured in spaced relationto thepl'ate 10. 14 indicates thecutting bladewhichy is formed of thin steel, ;prefera`bly about ten one thousandths of an inch thick which .may be hardened-and ground, similarly as the blade of a safety razor. This cutting bladeis pivotedfadjacent one end Vthereof to thef plate 10 as indicated at 15, and it is relatively wide atthis end portion as indicated at 14a, so as to provide a convenient linger piecefor opening the blade, .tapering thence, as indicated at 14", `to a relatively narrowouter endl which extends inward tothe sheath when` the blade `is closed.

vThe location of the Ypivot 15 withv refer@ ence to the inner corner 14c of the Vblade, is such that this corner engages the folded Vback of the plate 10 when 'the blade is s opened'to the' proper cutting angle, i. e., about 27 thus preventing the opening Aof the blade more than necesssary to do its work properly with a shearing action'upon the paper.y TheV cutting edge 14d of the blade is thus fully protectedby the sheath when the blade is closed as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, the sides of the blade frictionally engaging the sheath so that the blade will,

Y notV swing open except when .pulled out of the sheathV for use vby the projecting finger piece portion 14a. lThe blade edge isr pref erably made dull and with a Vrounding corner at its outer extremity-14e so that'this extremity may act as-a leader in inserting the blade in a corner C of an envelope E.

rlhe device thus produced is well adapted for desk and like uses.

For adapting the device to be carried on a chain or in the pocket it may be made substantially as already described, but without the hand piece block 11. Such a form is shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 where the plate 10 is folded upon` itself to provide a sheath 13. structed and mounted in the same way as already described. In this case the holder sheath itself constitutesV the holder for the device in use, and the outer end thereof may be provided with of ,a chain.

'Since' the cutting blade is relatively thin, and of the same thickness through its entire length, it is possible to insert it readily in TheV cutting blade in this case is con- Y a hole 16 for attachment Y the flap corner of an envelope and there ris nothing to obstruct its passage through the envelope. Inasmuch as the strip 13 is thin, it Will be clear that the cutter can press on the envelope While entering under the iap so that it will make a clean cut from one end of the envelope to the other While such envelope is resting on a desk o r other flat surface. I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific vforms Without departing from the spirit or essen tialv attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in yall respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An envelope opener comprising a holder in the form of a plate folded upon Wide inner portion to constitute a inger.

piece and tapering thence to a relatively narrow outer portion engaged frictionally Within said sheath when closed, a corner of said blade engaging said holder to limit the opening of the blade to a predetermined angle with respect to the holder.

2. An envelope opener comprising a holder in the form of a plate folded upon itself to constitute a thin flat sheath, ablade pivoted adjacent one end thereof to :said holder, said blade having a relatively Wide inner portion to constitute a finger-piece and tapering thence toa relatively narrow outer portion engaged frictionally Within said sheath when closed, a corner of said blade engaging said holder to limit the opening of thev blade to a predetermined angle With respect to the holder', and a member extending `laterally from said sheath to constitute a hand-piece.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 22nd day of July, 1921.

WILLIAM L. BARBER. 

